In re Suspension of Rule Section 7.2 of Supreme Court Rules On Licensed Legal Internship

• Decision Date: 26 March 2020
• Citation: 2020 OK 38
• Parties: RE: Suspension of Rule Section 7.2 of the Supreme Court Rules on Licensed Legal Internship
• Court: Oklahoma Supreme Court

2020 OK 38

RE: Suspension of Rule Section 7.2 of the Supreme Court Rules on Licensed Legal Internship

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

Decided: March 26, 2020

FOR PUBLICATION IN OBJ ONLY. NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION.

ORDER

On March 16, 2020, the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals entered SCAD Order No. 2020-24, which suspended the deadlines and procedures due to the COVID-19 Emergency declared by Governor Stitt on March 15, 2020. The Rules of the Supreme Court on Licensed Legal Internship, 5 O.S. Ch.1, App.6, §7.2 mandates that a Licensed Legal Intern working for a practicing attorney, district attorney, municipal attorney, attorney general or state governmental agency shall have at least 4 hours per month of in-court experience.

The Court determines that because of the emergency, the requirements of §7.2 are suspended. The Legal Intern Committee, the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Oklahoma City University School of Law, and University of Tulsa College of Law shall not suspend or revoke the license of any licensed legal intern solely for failure to attain the required number of in-court practice hours for the time period beginning March 16th, 2020, until the emergency period is concluded.

The Legal Intern Committee shall have authority to make further accommodations and grant temporary waivers to interns and law schools during the same period of time when such action is reasonably called for by the circumstances leading to the COVID-19 Emergency.

Done by order of the Oklahoma Supreme Court in conference this 23rd day of March, 2020.

/s/Chief Justice